FIRST YEARLINGS

Whytemount Stud, in Co Kilkenny, had a lot of success in recent years through the exploits of their star stallion Stowaway (by Slip Anchor). He died in February 2015, his progeny include standouts such as Champagne Fever, Hidden Cyclone, Outlander and Western Leader, and although the team's new stallion is no relation of his, there is every reason to hope that he too can become a National Hunt sire of note.

Valirann, a son of the regally-related Group 1 star and Group 1 sire Nayef (by Gulch), is a half-brother to Valyra (by Azamour), the undefeated star who, tragically, died shortly after her Group 1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) victory in 2012.

He is also a half-brother to the multiple blacktype-placed filly Valasyra (by Sinndar), who had the misfortune to be disqualified after passing the post first in a Group 3 contest at Saint-Cloud, and he is a half-brother to the pattern-placed stakes winner Valiyr (by Alhaarth).

Their dam, Valima (by Linamix), was a lightly-raced seven-furlong listed scorer in France and she, in turn, is out of Vadlawsya (by Always Fair), a winning full-sister to the Group 2 Prix Hocquart winner Vadlawys and half-sister to 2001's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile star Val Royal (by Royal Academy).

Val Royal, who shuttled to South America, died young but those he left behind include nine Group/Grade 1 winners, among a total of 20 individual stakes winners, with the best-known of them, to European racegoers, being the dual Guineas hero Cockney Rebel.

Mile listed scorer Vadlamixa (by Linamix), a half-sister to Val Royal and Vadlawsya, has done her part for the family by becoming the dam of the Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan and Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes winner Valixir (by Trempolino) and also of two blacktype daughters who have also achieved top-level success at stud.

Celebre Vadala (by Peintre Celebre) is the stakes-winning dam of last year's Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp scorer Vadamos (by Monsun), who covered his first book at Tally-Ho Stud in 2017.

Vadaza (by Zafonic), on the other hand, is the dam of the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary heroines Vadawina (by Unfuwain) and Vazira (by Sea The Stars) and also of the dual Group 3 scorer Vadapolina (by Trempolino).

Further updates to the family look likely before the year is out because Vadawina's four blacktype offspring include the Aidan O'Brien-trained juvenile The Pentagon (by Galileo), winner of the Group 3 JRA Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown in July and, at the time of writing, ante-post favourite for the 2018 Group 1 Investec Derby.

With family connections like these, combined with a race record that saw him win four times from five starts – including two important stayers' races in France – it is no surprise that Valirann covered 114 mares in his first season. His first foals made up to €21,000.